Performance Management Isn&#8217;t Actually Improving Performance

April 20, 2004

Only 30 percent of employees agree that their company's performance-management program actually improves performance, according to a Watson Wyatt survey of 1,190 U.S. employees.

Sixty-one percent of respondents strongly agree or agree that they were evaluated accurately in their most recent appraisal. Still, only 19 percent say the program helps poor performers improve and only 35 percent say they receive clear performance goals for the current year.

Watson Wyatt recommends that companies “rely more on the language of business and eliminate ‘HR-speak’ in the performance management process.” Also, top performers should be recognized and poor performers confronted as soon as possible.